Full Size unmanned TF-X Flying Car Protoytype with fold out engines and vertical takeoff and landing will be flying 2018

A full-size unmanned prototype of the Terrafugia TF-X flying car is expected to be ready by 2018.

The TF-X will have a cruising speed of 200 mph (322 km/h), along with a 500-mile (805 km) flight range. It will have fold-out wings with twin electric motors attached to each end. These motors allow the TF-X to move from a vertical to a horizontal position, and will be powered by a 300 hp engine.

The planned four-person TF-X will be semi-autonomous and use computer-controlled so that passengers can simply type in a destination before taking off.

Terrafugia have successfully completed static load testing of a scale prototype of the TF-X™ wing. This test verified that the one-tenth scale carbon fiber wing will be able to safely withstand the necessary loads during wind tunnel testing, and is an essential step along the path towards TF-X™ development.

Terrafugia’s vision for the future, the TF-X™ is a plug-in hybrid electric flying car with semi-autonomous flight and vertical takeoff and landing capabilities. Estimated to enter production in 8-12 years, the TF-X™ will create a new dimension of personal freedom.

To complete this test, Terrafugia engineers developed one-tenth scale prototypes of the wing and applied loads to both the central wing structure and the side motor pods to test its performance at progressively higher loads. The wing maintained structural integrity at over five times the maximum predicted loads, validating the wing design and allowing the team to move forward with further preparations for wind tunnel testing.

SOURCES – Daily Mail UK, Terrafugia, Youtube